USA

ON YOUR MARK: Cross-country season gets underway

The gun sounded on the cross-country season over the weekend as The Woodlands' "Friday Night Lights" brought out the stars of the state.

Ladies first…

In the Girls' Varsity A Division, Heidi Nielson of Cinco Ranch won the event and was followed by teammate Sophie Atkinson, who finished second. The only other Houston-area Top 10 finisher was Atascocita's Avery Clover (fourth place).

Montgomery's Abigail Wilson won the Varsity B Division, followed by Haley Harkrider (Clements) in second. College Park's Elena Villarreal finished sixth and FB Travis' Katherine Staub was eighth.

In the Open Division, another H-Towner took gold in Britton Bielitz of George Ranch. Caroline Freeman of Legacy Christian took second, followed by St. Agnes' Ava Coady, Morton Ranch's Ximena Perkins and Ebony Murphy rounding out the Top 5.

The Dallas-area dominated the Boys Varsity A Division. Tompkins' Gavin Saacke was the only Top 10 finisher in ninth. The Varsity B Division saw Huffman-Hargrave's Peyton Pluenneke win the event, holding off St. John's Emmanuel Sgouros. The John Cooper School's Will McDermott was seventh.

Dayton's Mario Puente held off The Woodlands' Enzo Valle in the Open Division.

In the Woodlands Christian Invitational, Warrior junior Ben Shearer finished first followed by Alexander Gadin of Awty. Awty won the team event. Frassati's Ashlyn Miller held off teammate Izabella Vallejo for the girls' title.


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